LGBT Croydon history - a brief overview

CAGS

In 1971, London Group Seven of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) was founded. It was soon renamed "Croydon CHE Group", and later "CAGS (Croydon Area Gay Society)" under which name it exists to this day.

Croydon Friend

From 1973 to 2001 there was a Croydon branch of Friend, the national counselling and befriending organisation.

Groups for younger people

Croydon Area Gay Youth (CAGY) flourished during the 1980s, and was set up and run by young people themselves. Since then there have been a variety of youth groups, catering for various age ranges, typically run by the Council on behalf of young people.

The Trans Group

Groups for older people

A group called "Scrapheap" for gay men over 40s, operated in 2005-06.Silver Rainbow, for the over-50s, was set up in 2008.

Forums and networks

In 1997 the Croydon Lesbian and Gay Forum (later the Croydon LGBT Forum) was set up. It operated until 2006. It was replaced in 2007 by the Croydon LGBT Network, which was formally launched, as Crocus, in 2008, but has since become inactive.